Air felt lighter than in the realms of Russia.

Back in the heavy layers of weakened conditions, there was no such thing as what she smelled here. The stench of urine and shit piled up for days in a corner did not taint the space with its foul odor. Fragile women clinging onto to life due to no longer being of use could not be seen here. And for just the slightest bit Chesna felt a spark of joy tickle in her belly. She could actually breathe. Allowing her nostrils to inhale and fill the emptiness of her lungs from lack of oxygen. It annoyed her some for the fact she could not open her mouth to relieve the dryness of her throat. The merchant holding her chains did not allow this. He couldn't care in the slightest either.

Chesna tried to at least wet her dry lips with her tongue. Only to be restricted by the leather belt around her muzzle. Eyes casted down with the smallest of trust given to the extremely large built male as they ventured further along the foreign lands. From what she could see, the pastures here were filled with flourishing flowers. Some wilting away due to the chill winds of autumn. Whilst others remained for the time being. Much like her life, she knew there wasn't much time before they too would disappear. Jaromil made it quite clear that if she weren't to be sold the merchant could leave Chesna to bleed out. Despite her beauty, the biggest feature being her heterochromia eyes, they needed not anything else with her. So many packs visited in time. Each not having what was needed to take ownership. Armor and weapons. Not food or anything simple as that. They asked for things that would take days, if not weeks, to craft. All for Chesna's price.

The merchant tugged at her chains. Not realizing she'd stop and looked up from their downcast. A huge mistake on her part as she felt a stinging pain race through her cheek. He could not do much damaged or else she would not sell. But, it did not stop him from slapping the slave whenever she disobeyed or dared to look up. "Poznajte svoje miesto. Alebo potrebujete pripomienku?" (Translation: Know your place. Or, do you need a reminder?) Her ears pinned tightly against her skull. Tail tucking against the curve of her belly. She felt herself fall to the ground. Nudging at his paws in apology. She wished not to be punished again. The last time she had almost passed out from the lashings. It took her months to heal properly and a few more weeks just to allow her fur to grow over the markings. Help from their healer made it look as if she'd never been touched. "Hovor, otrok!" (Translation: Speak, slave!)

Tears littered the corners of her eyes. Wanting badly to tell him that she could not do much due to her restriction. At most, her words fell free in a low whisper. If she chose to speak any louder she knew what was to follow shortly after. ~"Ospravedlňujem sa, pane." (Translation: Mm apologies, Sir.) She did not have to look up to feel the look of distain on his face. He said nothing more as he harshly pulled her to a stand. Their walk continuing for a short while until coming to an abrupt stop. "Sme tu. Nesmiete povedať nič, pokiaľ sa s vami nehovorí. Nehýbte sa a zaujmite svoj postoj. Inak."(Translation: We are here. You are to say nothing unless spoken to. Do not move and take your stance. Or else.) Chesna could smell the markings. They had reached another pack's borders. Another wolf who would turn her away due to either not wanting her or not having the fee to purchase her. Either way, she took her stance.

Legs parted to shoulder lengths. Her tail raised to point towards the dip of her spine. Neck stretched while head lifted to expose all of whom she was to anyone that chose to take a look. Eyes forever glued to the earthen floor beneath. The chains around her neck and ankles shuffling in a melodic sound as she moved. The leather strap around her muzzle tightened by the merchant in reminder of what would happen if she chose to not follow his orders. It took everything not to flench when ears captured his deep bark of calling.

The auctioning had begun.
Walk~"Speech"~Thought

The Empress was not expecting any visitors, nor did she recognize the voice that summoned her to the borders of the lake. The time of day was nowhere near the Klein’s usual schedule so she knew this to be some kind of stranger or foreigner. She could have allowed one of her Daimyo to answer, but ever the responsible alpha she slipped out of the arms of her love and emerged from the palace grounds into the sunlight.

She didn’t take very long to arrive at the border, her white gloved paws carrying her slender frame gracefully through the wild grasses. Sunset eyes were sharp and as soon as she saw the two wolves there she began to asses the situation. This was obviously a master and his slave, but what had they come to Ashen’s borders for? Venom resisted the urge to call for her brother Chimera in that moment, he was the one with all of the experience when it came to slave keeping.

Her approach slowed as she neared the path that marked Ashen’s boundaries, her eyes obviously surveying the pair of them before she came to a halt a polite distance away. "Greetings.” She offered in a neutral voice. "What business has brought you to Ashen’s borders?” Venom asked with a slight tilt of her head.

"Venom"

"Speech"

Chesna felt her muscles straining. The stance she possessed tugging at every ligament of her body, and it took everything not to ask the merchant if she could please sit. It was against her better judgement to remain silent. To deal with the aches. To keep her mind off of it, she chose to count the single blades of grass. One... two... three... Time passing by as they waited for someone to address their presence at the borders. Seventeen... Eighteen... Nineteen... What a frivolous thing to go about finding a weird thing such as what she was doing. It wasn't as if she could look around at the scenery. A bird flew by and she couldn't even dare to watch it flutter by. All and all, the slave stood in her position and continued the activity.

"My name is Karil. I am a traveling merchant from Russia who is looking to sale this Slave." Her head nearly snapped upwards at the tone of his voice. The heavy accent snapping her out of the little game she created. Karil... She hadn't know his name until now. And, why should she? He was there to sale her off and take the remission back to Jaromil. Leaving absolutely no reason for her to acknowledge a fact.

Karil tugged at the her chains. Pulling Chesna closer for a better view. He prayed to the Gods that this one would buy the little bitch so he could be rid of her. His wife and kids were awaiting his return. This payment alone would hold them over through the coming winters. Armor and weaponry for food and hide for his home. Glancing over at the Slave with distaste, the merchant sneered a single command to her. "Come." Her paws moved from standing behind him to now standing beside him. Chesna's small frame still in its aching position.

Head high. Eyes down. Tail arched. Legs spread shoulder length.

There was very little reaction on either wolf’s part as the Empress answered the terse call. The slaver seemed less than amused, obviously eager to be back where he came from. He hadn’t done much research on the pack he chose to sell his wares, as was made obvious as he presented himself and the girl he was looking to offload. He stated his name and origin, though Venom couldn’t truly know if he spoke the truth or not his reason for being there was no lie.

He yanked the chains and brought the girl around for the Empress to have a better look at her. She was small, and looked quite soft. Venom couldn’t imagine she had seen much work during her lifetime. There were few other things such a woman could be used for. The Klein Matriarch reserved her name as a critical eye roved the girl’s frame. "Does she know how to work, hunt, or heal?” She questioned from her lofty position. "I have no use for a brood bitch or sex slave.” While they were only assumptions, Venom was fairly certain the latter would indeed be her intended use.

"Venom"

"She is well trained in all categories. Hunting. Healing. Fighting. We do not like our slaves weak and fragile." Karil dismissed the manner that this woman hadn't spoken her name as he did his. There was no reason for pleasantries. Just business. His brow rising once the other took in the Slave. Noting the smallness of her frame. As well as other things that he, himself, could care little about. Jaromil entrusted him with this task. Vowing to not return home empty handed. "This one can be trained. She has knowledge. Does not speak English, however. But she knows the basics that a slave should. That is up for the new owner to choose to change."

Chesna remained silent in her position. Returning to counting the grass as the two spoke a language she knew little of. One major factor they made sure she did not ever learn. After turning one, the only words permitted to being drilled in her mind were simple commands. Come. Stay. Lay. Bend. Fetch. As if she were nothing but a simple dog she heard so many stories about from her mother. Of course, they added the slave academics as well. Silence. Crawl. Down. Eat. Go. Position. If not those words, Chesna was clueless in what anything being spoken meant.
"Speech"

Venom didn’t have to wait very long for an answer, as the male seemed to barely give the slave girl much consideration even as he spoke about her. She had more skill than the Empress had assumed with paws as soft as the she wolf’s looked. SHe was well trained in whatever use her new master could decide on, and that made her a bit more valuable than Venom would have guessed in the beginning. Knowing that she was not bilingual was a bit of a surprise, and the Empress wondered how easily or difficult that might be changed.

The Empress remained silent for a long moment, going over these questions in her mind while looking the slave over again. Debating her value before she finally asked. "And what is your asking price?” She would say eventually. Likely not cheap, but he didn’t seem eager to keep her around.

"Venom"

Finally. The merchant could not stop the Cheshire grin slithering across his blackned lips. He's be home soon and in the warmth of his wife's arms. No more traveling for days on end with this slave bitch at his side. "Armory and weaponry." A ping of hope clutched at his chest that she indeed had what he requested. Hearing another denial would send him in a frenzy and he knew exactly whom his anger would be released on. Gaze watching the female's face for a sign of approval.

All the while, Chesna found herself tiring of counting. Having moved on to watching ants travel in a line towards home. She knew winter was soon to arrive and much like the wolves back home they two were preparing for the cold months.

Her body ached for release. Bladder full. Throat parched wanting to be cooled by a drink. Stomach rumbled in hunger quite loudly for them both to hear and she almost whined in embarrassment. It wasn't like she could control such a bodily function. But, the last a sound was made, her back stung with ten lashes. Eyes sealing shut to await her punishment she knew the merchant would delivery.
"Speech"

Venom’s sharp gaze shifted from the little slave girl back to her master as she posed her question and she could see the shift in his expression. Then he named his price, though he was quite vague when he simply uttered armor and weaponry. Venom tilted her head curiously. Ashen was no poor pack, and they could afford to pay a simple price as that, but how far did he need her to go? Did he want to arm a whole legion or just what he could wear himself?

"How much are you looking for? Enough to arm and defend yourself?” She asked her question, wondering if the girl was even worth much more than that. She could tell that the slave herself was becoming tired, and was not treated well as her stomach growled and she looked ready to take abuse and punishment. Venom waited for the scene to play out.

"Venom"

The Merchant turned quickly. He kept his gaze on the woman as he worked to undo the chains attached to himself. He was indeed tired, hungry, and fairly ready to return back to the warm lands of Russia. But, he felt short in giving an answer. Jaromil hadn't given him that much information and he hated to assume such a thing. Wanting to avoid the backlash of his leader. "We will need enough to dress a small amount of warriors. Thirty wolves in total." With that spoken, Karil pushed Chesna to the woman's paws. Wanting nothing more to do with the slave.

Chesna's body was growing more and more weak as the time passed. She did not show it, though, for fear of being punished, It took a lot to keep herself standing. Limbs trembling under the strain they were placed in. So to say she was not relieved when she felt herself being tossed to the ground would have been an understatement. Inside, she sighed in relief. Gaze remained cast as they now looked at a set of white paws. Or, were they black? No. They were both. So slender and feminine. Was she to be owned by a woman?

Karil looked over his shoulder to send out a few barks. Two wolves from their ship having came shortly after their leave as backup and remained in the shadows for their protection. Dark in pelts with the silver of eyes to match. They were the Russian pack's assassins and never strayed far from any of the members. "They will carry the payment The bitch is yours."
"Speech"

Venom certainly didn’t have the supplies to armor thirty wolves, but it didn’t sound like the man was looking for that high of payment for such a she wolf anyway. More so it seemed as if the Empress was doing him a favor in taking her off his paws, one less mouth for him to feed and look after as their pack went into war. Venom would give what she believed to be a fair price for the girl as she was deposited at her white gloved paws.

With a small nod her giant squirrel companion was off to gather the payment. Of course he would find help from the various canine companions within Ashen’s borders and promptly arrive with their surplus of supplies. Ashen was rife with crafters and tinkerers, they would not be hurting for such commodities as this man and his people were.

As the supplies began to arrive and the servants took their quarry Venom flicked her forked tongue in a sign of dismissal as her sunset gaze settled on her new piece of property. She would certainty need to confer with her brother about this now. "Come.” She would command, and gesture at the same time for the woman to follow her into Ashen’s territory. The first slave to step foot here in a long long time.

"Venom"

The merchant moved quickly and with haste. As soon as the payment had been delivered, his wolves collected them swiftly. Their backs turned without even a hint of acknowledgment to the slave bitch as they wandered off into the woods without a single word. The merchant merely gave a nod in thanks. Before he too disappeared back to the waters where their boats still waited.

Chesna heard the simple command. Raising her gaze to look up at the woman for the first time. To say she was not shocked would have been a deep understatement and a giant lie. She stared in endless awe at such beauty standing there. The size of the woman was beyond her own. Her coat is a dark color with random white areas in various places. The slave had to catch herself immediately. Not realizing the lengths to which she'd been looking up and soon fell back into her stance. She rose onto her paws to allow her eyes cast down once more. Ears flattening against her skull with a low whimper of plea. She knew there would be punishment for her actions to come. But until then, she followed behind the woman. Giving space to her new owner. While the sounds of her chains filled the silence.
"Speech"